Today I will trust my instincts and do what I think is best
as a “new” mom. Today I will let the dog clean up the baby food that is stuck
to the kitchen floor. Today I will
not freak out every time said dog drags in debris from the yard and simply
consider it nutritional fiber for my boys. Today I will let the dog lick clean the prunes from the
babies’ hands and faces and save myself the trouble. Today if a baby finds a dog bone I will consider it a
teething toy instead of breaking my neck to get it away from him for fear of
grossness and God only knows what germs.
Today I will tell the new UPS guy to STOP knocking during naptime, or
any time for that matter, and I will do so without brushing my teeth or hair
first so as to drive home the fact that this desperate woman means business,
old UPS understood. Ain’t nobody
got time for the new UPS guy! Today I will use naptime to eat whatever is
edible and doesn’t have to be prepared, rest, and watch mindless television
because the dishes can wait yet another day, it’s winter the bugs are in
hiding. Today I will eat
lunch BEFORE my boys do because feeding twins takes forever and I refuse to
feel miserable all day because I have neglected my own self-care! Speaking of self-care, today I will let
the babies cry while I use the bathroom because I just CAN’T keep “holding it”
any longer! Today I will not stress out over a full diaper if no one is crying
because wet pants can be laundered and I have a full stock of Desitin if a rash
starts to emerge. Today if I catch
one of my babies staring at the TV I will not turn it off or try and engage him
in something more “interactive” I will let his brain temporarily turn to mush
and try not to worry about him developing ADD later in life. Today I will remember that the Mongolian
baby in the movie “Babies” seemed to turn out ok after eating rocks and
climbing in cow dung. Today I will
laugh at irrelevant advice given to me by parents of singletons rather than
getting annoyed and resenting them for how much easier their life with a baby
seems to have been. Today I will
remember that “new” moms of singletons or
twins ALWAYS “get it” because they are in the trenches and haven’t
forgotten the vulnerable state all new parents are in. Today I will stand up
for Mom’s of NICU babies when I read insensitive comments online with phrases
like “you’re going to be a great Mom” –Newsflash: said person is already a
great Mom making life or death decisions on behalf of her child/children daily! Today I will let myself cry when heart
broken over the fact that I can’t hold both teething babies that are crying in
pain at the exact same time and I will allow myself to mourn the fact that
neither of my children will ever get to experience the special attention that
comes with being “the baby” of the family but rather will always be “one of the
babies” while home alone with Mommy.
Today I will accept the fact that I am doing the best that I can and
that just has to be good enough.
Today I will accept that love and grace cover a multitude of “new”
parental mistakes. Today I will remember to trust God more than I trust myself
to care for my little miracles. Today
I will remove the word “new” and refer to myself simply as a Mom, a “real” Mom.
